


A Sight for Sore Eyes

by Stoic_Zee



Series: Ghost Tales and Other Spooky Stories [3]
Category: Bleach, Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: BAMF Kurosaki Ichigo, Chizuru's Inappropriate Behavior, Exorcisms, Exorcist Politics (Natsume Yuujincho), Gen, Ghosts, Slice of Life, Soul Society Politics, Youkai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 22:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17969516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stoic_Zee/pseuds/Stoic_Zee
Summary: During his eighteen months without powers, Ichigo learned how to use a different kind of spiritual energy to fight a different kind of monster. Years later he runs into some new associates while out with his old friends.a.k.a. Ichigo is too scary to inflict on Natsume, so Matoba and Natori have to deal with him instead.





	A Sight for Sore Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Ichigo and his high school friends are now twenty-two. Natori and Matoba are twenty-three and twenty-two respectively.
> 
> This fic is written from Tatsuki's POV because she is cool and does not get enough screen time.  
> This fic is rated T mostly for Chizuru's talk about boobs and for one scary youkai.

The gang had just started on their lunch when Ichigo raised his arm and waved. “Shuuichi! Matoba! Over here!”

The idea of Ichigo having non-shinigami friends outside their group was bizarre. That he would seek to acknowledge them in public was a whole new level of strange. The fact that he called them over to their monthly Karakura High meet-up/commiseration session was enough to make Tatsuki suspect he had been replaced with a pod-person, or possibly Kon. After several years, the mod-soul was getting better at pretending to be Ichigo.

Ichigo noticed all the incredulous looks he was getting for his out-of-character actions and scowled. “Be nice, guys. They look like they’ve had a rough day.”

Tatsuki looked at the pair again. They had been caught in the sudden shower, which made them both damp and sorry looking, but on top of that their clothes were dirty and torn like they’d gotten into a fight and lost. But they were both upright and walking, so they couldn’t have lost too badly.

The pair came wandering over with their plastic trays and quietly suspicious expressions.

“Kurosaki-san,” said the one with the bucket hat and glasses. The glasses were cracked on one side. “Do you mind if we join you and your friends?”

“I called you over didn’t I?” said Ichigo. “And it’s not like there’s anywhere else to sit.”

That was true. The WacDonald’s wasn’t very big to begin with and a lot of people had been driven inside by the unexpected shower. If the gang hadn’t been here before the shower started, there wouldn’t have been room for all of them. It would be a tight squeeze adding two more.

There was an awkward bit of shuffling as they pulled over another chair and Mizuiro, the thinnest guy, squeezed into the booth with Tatsuki and Orihime. Then Bucket-Hat and Long-Hair went for the same seat. They glared at each other for an angry minute, but Bucket-Hat conceded the spot. When Long-Hair sat down, Tatsuki saw he had a very weird eyepatch that covered almost half his face. If he sat in the other seat, he would have had to turn his entire body to look at them.

“Thanks,” said Bucket-Hat when they were settled. “I’m Shuuichi by the way.”

“Matoba Seiji,” added Long-Hair. He was staring at his tray with suspicion and poking cautiously at his burger. Clearly, he didn’t eat fast food very often.

There was a round of introductions. Ichigo probably should have been responsible for that, but he was always cautious giving out people’s names. Tatsuki was surprised he remembered these two, but she wasn’t sure how they knew each other. Ichigo was decent at remembering the names of people fought with or against.

“How do you all know each other?” asked Shuuichi.

“We were all friends in high school,” said Orihime brightly. “We try to meet up once a month to catch up.”

“Then our thanks for letting us impose on your gathering,” said Matoba.

Tatsuki’s eyebrows shot up. That was weirdly formal. But if these two were shinigami, they were ones Tatsuki had never seen before. “How do you two know Ichigo?”

There was a slightly awkward pause from the two newcomers. Shuuichi took a swallow of coffee to avoid answering. Matoba deigned to eat a french fry.

Ichigo sighed. “They’re both exorcists.”

Shuuichi and Matoba both choked. Matoba managed to swallow. Shuuichi sprayed coffee all over his fellow exorcist. He didn’t look very apologetic about it as he handed over his spare napkins.

“Oh, like Ishida’s family?” asked Orihime.

“No,” said Ichigo. “They deal with youkai, not ghosts.”

There was a riot of shouting as the Karakura crew yelled about the possibility youkai and the other two protested the existence of ghosts. But Ichigo let the noise flow past him like a river around a stone. Eventually, they all quieted down.

“When did you start seeing youkai?” demanded Tatsuki.

“When I stopped being able to see ghosts,” said Ichigo. “It’s like a radio frequency. If you’re set to one station, then you can’t listen to another at the same time.”

“That sounds like an usually well thought out explanation from you,” said Uryu.

“It was Yuzu’s,” admitted Ichigo.

“You told your sisters about this?” asked Tatsuki.

“Yes. But not Goat-Face or Hat’n’Clogs. Don’t mention it to anyone Soul Society related,” said Ichigo.

Ishida snorted. Everyone else agreed easily. Without Ichigo as an instigator, Soul Society seemed content to leave the rest of them well enough alone. Tatsuki was mildly pissed that she had missed all the action, but she didn’t want Ichigo to get involved in another war to make her feel useful. It was interesting that he included Urahara in his list of people not to tell. Then again, the shopkeeper considered himself a scientist. He liked to experiment with things.

“Is Soul Society a consortium of exorcists that handle ghosts?” asked Matoba curiously. “One that doesn’t approve of independent operators?”

“That’s the gist of it,” said Ichigo.

Tatsuki wasn’t the only person wearing a skeptical expression. Even Chizuru looked dubious and she had even less spiritual power than Keigo and Mizuiro. But Ishida didn’t seem eager to clarify matters, and he was the one whose ancestors had been at war with the Gotei 13 as long as the Court Guard existed, so Tatsuki wasn’t going to say anything either.

“There are a lot of internal politics involved. And I don’t want to get involved,” said Ichigo into the silence.

“Yes, I remember at the last meeting you didn’t socialize,” said Matoba. “You stayed on the roof and played poker with the shiki.”

“That’s an option?” demanded Shuuichi. He looked to the empty air next to him. “Hiiragi, why didn’t you tell me there was a poker tournament on the roof?”

Almost everyone’s gaze slid from Shuuichi to the empty air and back. Not Matoba’s, not Ichigo’s, and not Chizuru’s. The first two could see whatever Shuuichi was talking to. Was Chizuru trying to find whatever was there? Or if she could only see ghosts a little bit, did that mean it was possible for her to see other things?

“You need to play the politics game, if you want to keep working as an exorcist, Shuuichi-san,” said Matoba. He ignored Shuuichi’s glower. “But it does make me wonder why you came, Kurosaki-san.”

“I made bank at that poker game,” said Ichigo.

“Shiki don’t even use money,” muttered Shuuichi very quietly. “How could I not afford the buy-in?”

“And, I heard the kid would be there. I wanted to see how he was doing,” continued Ichigo over Shuuichi’s mumbling.

“Ah, yes,” said Matoba. “I do remember you taking some interest in Natsume-kun’s circumstances.”

Ichigo looked at Tatsuki and rolled his eyes. Tatsuki smirked in reply. He had gotten himself involved in exorcist politics whether he liked it or not just by checking in on some kid. But yeah, Matoba seemed a lot more stuck up than someone their age should be.

“Can you make a living as an exorcist?” asked Uryu.

“It’s easier for some than others,” said Matoba. “A large clan and an old name are helpful. Though, power, of course, is essential.”

“Matoba is the head of his clan and has been for a few years. They’re a pretty big deal in the exorcist community,” said Ichigo. “Kind of like the Kuchiki.”

“Ah,” said Uryu.

Tatsuki had never met Rukia’s older brother, but over the years she had heard the entire story from her friends. Chad’s version was the sparsest and Orihime’s was the most interesting. But even they had both agreed that Kuchiki Byakuya was an arrogant son of a bitch until Ichigo knocked some sense into him. Ishida’s first encounter had been more traumatic.

“Didn’t the Kuchiki head shoot you full of lightning and leave you to bleed to death in the middle of the street?” asked Tatsuki. Just because she knew what happened didn’t mean the other members of their group left behind on Earth would know and a statement like that needed context. 

The rest of their friends shrieked in outrage. Shuuichi did another spit take. Tatsuki was ninety percent he was aiming at Matoba deliberately. Given the way Matoba narrowed his eye and seemed to vow retribution with every angry swipe of a napkin, he knew it too.

“Me and Byakuya worked it out,” said Ichigo dismissively. “Anyway, Shuuichi’s from an old family too. But they have fewer exorcists, so he has a normal job too.”

“How impressive!” said Orihime. “Do you work locally or do you travel a lot?”

Orihime guided them gently away from talk of exorcisms to everyone’s favorite place they had been or place they wanted to visit. Chad talked fondly about his grandfather’s hometown in Mexico. Mizuiro talked about the cruises he had gone on with his harem of older women. Even Matoba, who was clearly unused to talking with people his own age, shared a story about a trip to Korea.

It wasn’t exactly how their monthly get-togethers normally went. Usually the group ate their cheap food and tracked down some free entertainment while catching up on gossip. But with the steady rain, this was nearly as nice. Ichigo seemed pleased, which was good. He even outright smiled a few times.

Only Chizuru seemed weirder than usual. She kept staring the two newcomers, especially Shuuichi.

“Is there something on my face Honshou-san?” asked Shuuichi after almost an hour.

Tatsuki noted the way Ichigo stiffened. Apparently there was something on Shuuichi’s face.

Chizuru sighed. “Look at both of them. They’re both disgustingly pretty but flat as boards!”

Matoba gaped at her in shock. Shuuichi struggled to keep a straight face.

“Most men are flat there, Honshou,” said Ichigo.

“Exactly,” said Chizuru. “Ichigo, if you’re going to make new friends, then they need to be pretty girls with boobs. It doesn’t matter what size. Rukia-chan had a lovely delicate bust and of course you out did yourself by introducing us to the bounteous buxom of Rangiku-san, but these are clearly insufficient.”

Tears were pouring from Shuuichi’s eyes. He had pulled down his bucket hat to cover his sniggers. Matoba was staring at his own chest, still looking stunned, as if he had never considered his lack of ample bosom a deficiency before. Probably no one had ever declared the young head as insufficient in any way.

Chizuru lifted her hands. “Though Orihime-chan is always first and best—”

“Ishida,” snapped Tatsuki.

Uryu obligingly yanked Chizuru back into her seat before she could finish her lunge across the table. Tatsuki had tried to put as much space between the two women as possible, but Chizuru was incorrigible.

“Ask Mizuro for his girlfriends’ numbers. I’m sure some of them want to experiment by now,” said Ichigo.

“But they’re old and saggy,” muttered Chizuru sadly. “I want luscious, ripe fruit ready for—”

“Ishida!” barked Tatsuki.

Uryu, bless his soul, whipped the day’s newspaper out of his messenger bag and whacked Chiruzu lightly on the head. Chizuru whimpered and subsided. Tatsuki would have hit her harder, but Ishida was, unfortunately, a gentlemen.

Shuuichi stopped laughing and pushed back his hat. He had knocked his glasses completely askew and shoved his hat back a little too far. Tatsuki recognized his face.

Her mouth fell open, halfway to forming his name before she caught herself. Next to her, Orihime let out a delighted squeak. Ishida was not the sort of person to be starstruck by an actor, but he still seemed faintly impressed to be eating fast food with a star he recognized. Keigo’s screech was mostly unintelligible, and Mizuiro cut him off with a sharp jab to the ribs before he could be understood.

Chizuru huffed and crossed her arms. “This doesn’t change the lack of boobs.”

Tatsuki jabbed a finger at Chad. “You knew! How did you know?”

“Our band was in the episode they filmed in Karakura,” said Chad quietly. “I didn’t want to make a fuss.”

“The producer liked to use local flavor,” agreed Natori Shuuichi. “Your group was one of the better ones. I did wonder how you ended up working on the set, Kurosaki-san.”

“The Eel-Lady had me working there. It’s how I met the kid,” said Ichigo. “I did wonder why you brought him to Karakura for vacation. But I guess you were giving him a break from…” Ichigo waved his hand at Natori and Matoba and then out the window.

“Yes, Karakura is famous for its lack of malevolent youkai,” said Natori. “I suppose you’re the one that explained the why to Natsume.”

“There’s an actual explanation?” asked Matoba.

“The one I heard wasn’t very coherent,” admitted Natori.

“A little bit of reiki can be dangerous to a youkai,” said Ichigo. “And since Karakura is spirit soaked land, everyone has higher than average reiki. Local humans are too hard to eat for all but the strongest youkai, and the strongest youkai are basically Hollow-bait.”

“Hollow?” asked Natori.

“Hungry ghosts,” said Ichigo. “The kid’s cat is the strongest youkai I’ve seen wandering Karakura. The only reason nothing tried to eat it was cause it stayed a cat.”

“Fascinating,” said Matoba. His gaze slid past Ichigo to the rain-filled window. “We should leave soon.”

Tatsuki glanced over shoulder. She wondered if there was something out there causing the rain. She had spent years thinking she understood how the world worked better than most people, and that was true for some things, but she would never understand everything. This encounter with these exorcists was a good reminder.

“Ah, Natori-san before you go, could I have your autograph?” asked Keigo.

Natori binked. “Sure, but you all might as well call me Shuuichi. You have all afternoon. Not you, Matoba.”

There was a mad dash for papers and pens. Most of them had a long ride to get here, so they had all something that could be signed. Ichigo and Chad, the traitors, ignored the fuss. They had autographs from the production in Karakura.

“Not even if I let you call me Seiji?” asked Matoba.

“And what do you think Nanase-san would do if I called you by your given name in her presence, Matoba-sama?” demanded Shuuichi. “I like my head where it is.”

Tatsuki ignored the by-play between Matoba and Shuuichi. She didn’t want to hear about any weird exorcist flirting rituals. She emerged from her bag victorious with pen and notebook in hand.

Shuuichi obligingly signed everything put in front of him. Then he and Matoba prepared to make their good-byes.

“Oh, wait a moment” said Ichigo. He pulled a paper fan out of his jacket pocket.

“I didn’t think you’d want an autograph,” said Tatsuki.

“Nah,” said Ichigo. “Excuse me, Chad.”

Ichigo leaned past Chad to place one hand one the window. The glass shivered and rippled like a pond disturbed by a stone. The scene outside turned into a horror show. What had been simple, boring rain before was now dark red blood dripping from umbrellas, clinging to clothes, and pooling across every flat surface. People walked along completely oblivious to the blood on their faces and in their mouths.

Standing on the other side of the glass was a creature shaped vaguely like a praying mantis except fifteen feet tall and made of sharp metal. Scattered across its body were were dark stains that might have been rust or might have been blood. Perched on top of its thin neck was a round head with spiky metal hair and a beautiful, serene face.

When the thing realized they were watching it, its eyes widened in wicked delight and its mouth opened to reveal rows upon rows of tiny, sharp teeth. It lunged forward with all of its knife-life fingers to stab into the booth.

“Kill you, rip you, kill you, bleed you, kill you, kill you, kill you, KILL YOU!” it screamed

Ichigo snapped open the fan and waved it almost casually at what had to be a youkai.

The youkai froze. Silvery-blue light covered its entire body. Then it shattered into a million flecks of light, which blew away in the breeze.

Outside the window, the blood had disappeared to be replaced with normal rain, which was already starting to slow down. A pair of broken, rust-stained scissors hung suspended in the air for the briefest moment before dropping harmlessly to the ground.

“Oh, are all exorcisms like that, Ichigo?” asked Mizuiro.

Tatsuki whipped her head around. Matoba and Shuuichi were both gaping at Ichigo like landed koi. For that matter, so was Chizuru. Tatsuki was going to ask the girl a thousand questions when they got these two exorcists out of here.

“Other people do chanting and writing,” said Ichigo. “I learned how, but this way is easier.”

“Ah, Kurosaki-san, are you—are you sure you’re human?” asked Shuuichi.

Ichigo’s answering smile was all teeth. “What else would I be?”

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to read a crossover of these two fandoms and realized there was no way the main characters could exist in harmony for the entirety of a single story. 
> 
> Head canon is that Ichigo made a wrong turn on a class trip and ended up in a youkai-only zone a la Spirited Away. It took Ichigo a year to make his way back from his perspective, but he was gone maybe five minutes in the real world. When he got back to Karakura, he could still see youkai and set out to learn everything he could especially since he owed and was owed several favors from various youkai. Most of what Ichigo learned, he learned from youkai, not humans, so he doesn't think of himself as an exorcist though other people might. 
> 
> Ichigo's boss, Unagiya, is youkai so a lot of his odd jobs are for non-human customers.
> 
> Ichigo is like Takashi in that he considers youkai to be people equal to humans. Ichigo is unlike Takashi in that he is completely willing to kill youkai who try to kill him or other innocent people. 
> 
> I gave Chizuru the ability to see youkai (I don't even like her that much!) and created the crack!OTP of Chizuru/Hinoe.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comment on what you like!


End file.
